Article Added On: January 21, 2005 - over 5 years ago
Title: United Church calls it 'equal marriage'
Author: Mayumi Futamura
Publication Date: January 01, 2005 - over 5 years ago
Faith Groups: Other Christian
Themes: same sex marriage/blessing

Abstract: While a Roman Catholic archbishop in Toronto urged Prime Minister Paul Martin to abandon his plans to extend same-sex marriage recognition to gays and lesbians, the United Church of Canada expressed its view on the issue: not everyone who speaks from the Christian perspective is opposed to same-sex marriage.

While a Roman Catholic archbishop in Toronto urged Prime Minister Paul Martin to abandon his plans to extend same-sex marriage recognition to gays and lesbians, the United Church of Canada expressed its view on the issue: not everyone who speaks from the Christian perspective is opposed to same-sex marriage.

The Right Rev. Dr. Peter Short of the United Church of Canada issued a letter on Jan. 21, stating that the General Council of Canada's largest Protestant denomination welcomes equal marriage. Moreover, the council believes that "equal marriage is a step on the path to justice, peace, and the common good."

The letter was mailed to the constituency offices of all MPs.

"I believe that this decision has been reached not by abandoning Christian faith, tradition, and values, but by implementing them," writes Rev. Short, "I write to you in the hope that you will resist the assumption that anyone who speaks from Christian faith, tradition, and values must be against equal marriage."

In the letter, he says that Christian faith is "not an uncritical repetition of a received text" but it is a mindful commitment to the power of love, to which the text seeks to give witness.

"Every generation of the Christian faith must decide how they will honour that demand of love in the living of their days. Changing circumstances and changing ideas are not the enemy of faith.

"In fact, change is the only medium in which faithfulness can truly become faithfulness. Uncritical repetition is more like being on autopilot."

He warned that people should not confuse tradition with habit, custom or convention.

"Value is a gift -- not a rule, not a partisan lever, and certainly not a weapon. It is wrong to invoke the love of God in order that one person's